You deduct your kids' school supplies? OMG!
Posted By: ROFL! on 2005-12-12
In Reply to: you don't pay double...sm - IC
And a TV? Wow, it never occurred to me to be that dishonest. I am in awe of your evil ways. Teach me, please.
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These kids fresh out of school don't realize sm
that what they learned in school "mastered" or not is equivalent to just spit in the ocean.
Supplies on eBay
I purchased the SUM Program and all the necessary workbooks and reference books on eBay. Go to the HPI (SUM) website and check what is included for their program and what is necessary. The student syllabus for self-directed students is available for you to print out which will give you all your assignments. You will also be able to find all the Stedman's reference books that you will need for a fraction of the new price. By buying groups and taking what I need and reselling the rest, I ended up with all neceassry items including my computer and a new dictaphone for less than nothing. Just make sure you get the latest versions of all materials. Good luck! lynn
Question about ebay & supplies...
Hi everyone-
Let me first say how glad I am that I found this board! It seems like a wealth of information for the industry!!! I have my EMT certification and am currently enrolled in an MT class at a city college. I have also had med. term, anatomy, etc... at city college. I have an opportunity through a friend who has been an MT for years to jump right in with a job. I don't want to feel unbelievably overwhelmed, so I would like to get some more materials to study on my own for the next month or so. I have looked on ebay and there are lots of cd's available. I did read that Sierra was a scam, but there is another one that is $20. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this and for what I am looking for would this be alright? Also, are there any other suggestions for tools and workbooks I could find? I would love to work on med. term. and test myself in that area....any good websites for this??? I would really love to hear any feedback you all might have for me. I would like to pursue anything that might help me out before I get started! Thanks in advance for your help  Amanda
New student, are ergonomic supplies worth it?
I'm looking into ergonomic keyboards, chairs, etc. Are they worth it? Are there any items out there that you think are trash, worth the money, or "must haves"? Any other advice to a new student of M-Tec is welcome!
Thanks in advance!
kids
my son is 11months old and will be just over a year by the time i finish school (if all goes as planned) my husband works different hours every week but I think i will be able to work around that also i am very much a night owl and plan to actually do alot of my work while he is sleeping and if all else fails my mom will take him a couple of days a week I would just have to work around her schedual. I know that if I needed to hire someone to watch him now and again I could, but if i were to work out of the home full time I would have a hard time finding child care because i don't know anyone who could watch him every day and because we live in a smaller town there are not very many day cares they tend to have long waiting lists and do not take children who are not potty trained. I am concerened that when he gets a little older it might be hard to entertain him while I am working, but wether I am working or not I had already planned to get him into a day care once he is potty trained a couple days a week just for social interaction since not many of my friends have kids his age. but thank you for the insight, maybe working at home will be harder then i originaly thought.
kids
How is everyone working with kids in the house??
What do kids have to do with it.
Hmmm. Okay I appreciate the advice here. I really initially inquired as to whether or not you could attend one of the less expensive schools and actually find work.
As far as the kids go, I have been attending college online for 2 years and manage the landscaping business we have as well as homeschool my children. I have worked from home doing inbound customer service calls as well. My children do not and are not a problem. My husband is supportive and the older ones help out. I don't work or study with children on my lap....whatever gave you that impression. I am a firm believer that anything can be accomplished. Why do people think that children limit you. You are only limited to what you believe your limitations are. Since I have been working from home for four years I would like to continue to do so but....with a steadier income. Any career I choose will require sacrafice and I am aware of that.
Back to the school thing.....I didn't want to waste time or money on an inexpensive school that will not train me or allow me to work. Once the training is completed I need to be a working woman. Thanks again for your opinion. I guess I am to assume that there are no schools worth the time besides the top three. So perhaps I need to wait until I have the large deposit required.
Kids and transcription
I cannot image having small children under foot while doing transcription. When I did transcription, I had to have total concentration. Of course, I only worked for 12 docs in a small hospital, and I was "it" -- the only transcriptionist.
However, I worked for a good hospital, and they allowed me to leave and pick up my two elementary school children and take them to what was then called a "nursery". I then went back to work and made my 8+ hour shift. A wonderful and challenging career!
Job/Kids - I understand
Hi Lisa,
I have heard your story many times. This is nothing new. You are, unfortunately, the victim of an advertising campaign by MT schools who -- quite frankly -- care only about the money. I have been shaking my head for YEARS at the ads stating MAKE $50K a year working at home as an MT!!! Oh sure, it can be done. I could do it if I worked full time. BUT....I have been an MT for 20+ years.
Here's the thing. If I had started working at home right out of school there is NO WAY I would have loved this job the way I do...and there is NO WAY I could have overcome the frustration of trying to work at home with small children. No way. Sorry, I know that doesn't give you hope....but it is the truth.
People are ALWAYS asking me about how they can get a job like mine (they seem to think it is something that should be EASY, yeah right). I explain to them that MTing is a great job and I encourage them to get the education but I emphasize that they SHOULD NOT have high hopes of working at home right away.
IMO it would be rare for an MT to start working at home right out of school and have the knowledge to earn ~really~ GOOD money. Skills and knowledge are mastered over time and they are the key to making big money in MTing....and I can't even begin to tell you how much I learned from my co-workers while I worked in the doc office for 7 years and in house at the hospital for 4 years. I have been working at home for 10 years now and LUV LUV LUV it. I have a 13 yo and twin 2 yo. I *do not* work full time. Not while the kids are young. I work 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. M-F, set schedule believe it or not...and can earn a pretty good income.........but it came from years of experience. I just really don't know if it can be done *WITH A LOT OF SUCCESS* right out of school.
So now for some advice: Try to find a job that is doc office or clinic work. It is so much easier. SOOOOOOOOOOO much. Get some good reference books. Study the book of style 2nd edition. They teach you minimal med term in school so you will probably need to find a way to keep advancing your medical vocab.
Current medical terminology by Vera Pyle might be a good reference book to get not only for when you get *stuck* but also just to read through when you get a free moment (Being a Mom I know those are few and far between).
I still learn stuff and I have been doing this for 20+ years. It really is a great job and I hope you are able to hang in there.
E-mail me if you want to discuss it further.
working with kids at home - sm
That is another thing I forgot to mention that these schools have a tendency to do .... "oh, it's great, you can work at home and pick your own schedule and work when you want." "Oh sure, you can work AND take care of your kids at the same time."
NEWSFLASH: There are very very few companies that will let you pick and choose when you want to work and let you stop work, pick up your kids, type for an hour, go make dinner, type for another hour, play with your kids, type for 2 hours, help with homework, etc. Very few.
Although, currently I am recruiting for a hospital that needs a full time transcriptionist. They will let you work full time at home and around your kids schedules, but you have to live within an hour of the hospital and have to work onsite for six months before going home.
Grandma now, raised my kids doing
medical transcription. I worked when they were at school and at night after bed time. When they were very little, the played around me. I worked at home while my children were growing up. When too young to start school, I had them home with me and also typed after they went to bed and during naps. I had to be flexible. My 3 children are all in their late 20s now and one has children of his own. All three tell me they felt I was a wonderful mom and their friends would always come over to our house. They tell me they are so glad they had a mom who was at home. My own mother was a single mom and had to work outside the home and I remember in grade school, her leaving the house before I did and how sad I felt that she wasn't home for me. I decided no matter what, I would raise my children and work at home to be with them. I am SOOO glad I did this because now in my 50s and they are all adults, I can see the benefit of it. I worked in an office for a while when they were in their late teens, didn't like it, now I work at home again and spend lots of time with hubby. I don't know about others, but for me, if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't change and thing, and I would definitely keep my children home with me. They are so precious and are only little once, then you miss it later on. This is a very special time only once in a lifetime when your children are babies.
MT Moms w/small kids
Hi!
Yes, I just read through a lengthy thread that touched on MY question in a round about way, but... I was just curious what hours MT moms with small children work and (just as importantly) when do you sleep!?!?
I have no problem with daycare and I have family that would glady watch my 5 y/o but I choose to keep him home to save everyone trouble and myself money! He actually entertains himself quite well, better in fact than my husband when he's home during my work hours! 
I had considered working during the hours that my son is sleeping, but I don't see how that would work well, at least not for me. Even if I were to begin work at 8 PM and work until 3 or 4 AM, I would barely get to sleep before he wakes up, which is normally around 7:30. Three or four hours of sleep each night would get old QUICK, not to mention that by the time I begin work I would be tired and ready for bed and unable to think clearly, be productive, and would likely have trouble staying awake.
Right now, I'm working 32 hours per week with 2 half days and 3 split shifts and it seems to be working somewhat well... but can be rather hard to concentrate and be productive with the bustle of spring and summer daytime activities around the house with a 5 y/o.
Although a lengthy post, my question was simple: what work hours and sleep hours have you MT moms of small children come up with that works for you? And sure, any advice or tips would be appreciated as well. 
working at home - kids
I can't advise you on schools because I did not train at one.
You did not say how old your son is. If you are working at home, is he old enough to entertain himself? I started MT just before my son was born and I did not really save any money on child care although I was home. Until he was 7 or 8 I had to pay for child care. Because he wanted/needed my attention when I was working. But maybe you can arrange your schedule and your husband can help out so it will work out for you. Good luck!
Yeah, I know what you mean. I tried to do it all for years with small kids,
schooling, learning a new job, handling the household and finances. Something's going to suffer, and most likely, EVERYTHING will suffer. We can't do it all by ourselves and we shouldn't be expected to. Unfortunately, smacking someone upside the head with a 2x4 is considered assault, but smacking them upside the head with a legal document outlining child support amounts and visitation requirements is quite effective.
Apply for child care assistance and put the kids in daycare.
You can't juggle all that. Either that or have the father watch his own kids for a while so you can work.
Agree with an outside school, but I went to a business & tech school. Great experience, better
s
You CAN get a job at home, right out of school, but it has to be a GOOD school.
You should enroll in Andrews School or M-TEC. I know you don't want to spend more money, but at least you WILL be able to get a job. If you thought At Home Professions was a good course, you will be totally amazed at what you DIDN'T learn in that course that you WILL learn at the two good schools. There is no "required" curriculum for MT, anybody can open up a school, charge what they want, and teach what they want. Companies will waive the 2-years' experience requirement for graduates of Andrews School and M-TEC, but NOT for the other schools.
School?
Has anyone graduated from Thomson Education Direct and got hired anywhere?
Just wondering about choosing the right school for medical transcription course.
MT school
I attend the Andrews School. It has a very good reputation among national services--some will even waive the minimum 2-year experience requirement and allow you to test for them if you are an Andrews graduate. I have heard good things about M-Tec as well. I would suggest that you contact hospitals, nationals, etc. that you might want to work for and ask them which schools they suggest as far as turning out job-ready graduates. Good luck!
$ for MT school
No, I don't. We have debt out of our ears but you can make payments or charge it or whatever it takes. I've always had to spend money to make money. I just want to make sure I can make it back fairly soon. When I do the math it seems like you have to be pretty darn fast at transcription to earn a living. I admire the people out there doing it!
School and $$$
Hey, sorry about your ankle. Sounds like this could be a perfect time to study for MT. I'm sure I saw scholarship information that was based on financial need on one of the "3" schools...Andrews, MTEC or Career Step. Go to their websites and see! All the best to you! 
What to look for in a school
There are three things to look at in choosing a school and neither of them is money.
The first is whether national services already hire their grads and keep them longer than 6 months.
The second is what percentage of the grads score adequately on the employer's test.
The third is how many students complete the course with a grade of 95% or better on the first try.
Even if an employer is willing to hire from a school, if few grads pass his test and qualify to be hired, then the school isn't so hot. If the employer hires, but the grads can't keep the job for even 6 months, then the school isn't so hot. If the school has a high drop-out rate and many students (sometimes "most") don't make it to graduation, then the school isn't so hot. If it takes students several tries to pass, then the school isn't so hot.
You can see that just examining whether an employer will hire a grad isn't such a good measure. You also have to look at how many students get to graduation, how they got there, how many of them passed the test, and how many of those didn't get fired or quit in frustration.
You want a school whose grads are almost uniformly hired by nationals and which graduates nearly all students (all have drops, but you want a low level of those) on the first try.
Considering all that, you have two options: M-Tec and Andrews. And Andrews has a pre-admission test you'll need to pass to get in.
In your case, you should not go for a school which will allow you to skip any courses. You don't know anatomy and terminology like you'll need it for MT--what you know is what you need for billing, and that is different. Unless you hold a PhD in anatomy, you need to refresh your memory. Any school that lets you get away with not doing that does not have your best interests in mind.
School
I recently graduated from Thomson Education Direct. Recently changed to Penn Foster.... I made 49.00 month payments with no interest. Is a good school!
yes, I'm still in school ..... nm
zz
Still in school????
I assumed from your post you were a recent graduate.
school
I agree.....Accept a challenge to succeed.
School
Education Direct,,,now called Penn Foster.
Great School!
School
HHHHHHHHHHHMMMMMMM! I just graduated and landed a job within one week.!!!!
School
Are you stocking me? Your a stress ball!
Is school a must?
I have been an administrative assistant for 8 + years and I will be graduating from my Medical Office Specialist/Billing and Coding class in May. Do I absolutely have to go to school to become an MT or can I just test to get a job? Any responses will be greatly appreciated.
Shona`
re: Is school a must?
Yes! Have you mastered anatomy and physiology? Do you know pharmacology? Can you know medical abbreviations? Can you decipher various dialects of providers well enough to produce a medicolegal document? How about the body systems, brain functioning, neurology, endocrinology, cardiology, orthopedics, pulmonology, etc., operative techniques? Medical terminology of all the above specialities, plus more, then if your answer is yes, then test away. Transcription is a labor intensive occupation that requires medical knowledge, dedication, and accuracy.
Is school a must?
If you are really good at learning from a book and feel like you lack experience in just a few areas, then study that way. I got a little training but mostly I was self taught. I knew what I wanted and studied from books and listened to any dictations I could find. The hardest part is getting your foot in the door. I put applications in everywhere and was lucky to have a small MTSO let me show them what I was capable of though. If you have the extra money for the schooling, then go for it. I dont believe that it's a must though.
Good luck!
What school did you go to?
They should be able to help you, if the school was any good. If not, then you need more education from a better school.
school
I graduated from Career Step recently and I felt they thoroughly educated me on just about everything i needed to know. I took the online course and it took me about 9 months to finish.
School
NC Newbie -- what school did you attend? I assume you're from North Carolina, and so am I. Since I have done acute medical transcription years ago, I am in the process of trying to find a school for refresher courses. A lot of medical stays the same, but there are a lot of new procedures, drugs, etc.
Perhaps your school? (sm)
I would first check with your school for assistance. Many schools will offer some type of program to help get you pointed in the right direction.
If you went to one of the top three I know for sure that they offer assistance in this area.
Get your school to help you.
Your school knows which ones of the employers really like graduates of the school you attended. They know where they have been successful. If they have no employers clamoring to hire their graduates, you've got a problem. That means the employers have seen what their graduates can do and they don't like it.
Then you may have to work in a doctor's office. The pay isn't good, there are rarely opportunities for pay increases, but at least it's something.
I hope the first scenario describes you. Good luck with your new career!
The School you went to?
Career Step. I've heard of this school before, but like you I am still in the researching process for the best place to take the on-line course. How expensive was this course? Can you email me your answer. Thanks
My email address is: louisem@cinci.rr.com
Thanks again. Awaiting your response.
Where did you go to school?
Many comapnies will waive that 2-year requirement if you attended a school with a solid reputation of producing work-ready grads. Again, you get what you pay for.
school
I wouldn't go by one person's opinion. I am going through that program and I think it is good. It is very detailed and they teach about everything. They didn't even say what they sent the 14yr old there for anyway, maybe that particular course was bad.
The best school for you
In the MT world you will hear people talk about the Top Three. That would be Andrews, MTec, and Career Step. These are all good. The best school is the one that is going to be the most comfortable fit for you, and you will find that out by visiting their websites and forums. Like everything else in life, cost may be the determining factor. All three of these "top three" schools are good and their courses are very comprehensive, so you will have tons of work to do whichever one you choose. Be sure to choose a program which will help you find a job. It is surprising how many people enroll in courses which do not offer them any assistance at all. Courses also vary in length and instructional methods, so you'll have to decide how much time you can spend studying each day. Good luck!
Best school
A good school to look at is Janet Stiles electronically taught transcription. You can get more info at www.settinc.com
Best school
I took Career Step and it was great. I graduated within 7 months with high honors and I got a job in less than a week. If you go directly through careerstep.com you will only pay about $1350. Yeah, it sounds like a lot of money, but it's not when you actually see how much experience you get from just taking the course. I got a job that was looking for 2 years of experience.
Anyone know anything about CAI School?...sm
I have a friend who is finishing up the course and wondering if anyone here has graduated from this school. I don't really see anything here about them.
TIA!
school
I graduated from the Virtual Learning Center.
just got into school!
OK, I've been lurking around this board since 2004 can you believe it and just now started a program! I was registered in '04 but dropped it due to financial and health issues, I start EvCC's program in Spring (community college program that is linked with Career Step). Thank you everyone for all your info that has helped me make an informed choice.
school
Just wondering if anyone can give me advice on going to school for mt. Do you think an at home program is okay?
School
I went through Career Step. I loved it. I graduated with Honors in Feb. 2007 and have a job already. I would recommend it to anyone. At least have her contact the school with questions. Good Luck.
Which school
Thanks folks! Hope to hear from more of you! Just read that CanScribe is the Canadian extension of Career Step. Margaret
And you went to school where? (nm)
.
School
I did a transcription course at home. (At-Home Professions.
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